Most of America's Top Financial Advisors Are Invisible in AI Search, New Study Finds

84% of leading financial advisory firms never appear in AI answers, while smaller specialists outperform national competitors among wealthy niche audiences

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Some of America's most respected financial advisory firms are missing from AI answers about which advisor to hire, potentially losing wealthy clients before they ever have a chance to compete for their business.

A new study from Gregory found that 84 of the 100 leading financial advisory firms ranked by CNBC in 2026 never appeared in 8,389 AI-generated answers to questions about hiring a financial advisor. The findings suggest that the reputations and industry rankings firms have spent decades building aren't necessarily translating into visibility on ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.

The research also reveals an unexpected opportunity for smaller advisory firms. While a handful of national firms dominate AI answers overall, specialized advisors frequently outperform much larger competitors when prospective clients ask questions related to their professions, financial circumstances, or investment needs.

"Imagine spending decades building one of the country's most respected financial advisory firms, only to discover that when a prospective client asks AI who to hire, your name never comes up," said Joe Anthony, Co-CEO and President of Gregory. "That's what's happening to some of the industry's best-known firms. They're being left off the shortlist before they even know a prospective client is looking."

Three National Firms Dominate AI Answers

Gregory's report, AI Search Power Players: The RIAs AI Recommends for Niche Audiences, analyzed 8,389 AI-generated answers to 248 questions representing how eight groups of affluent professionals might search for financial advice. The groups included professional athletes, attorneys, business owners, dentists, entertainers, media executives, physicians, and technology employees.

Despite the industry's thousands of registered investment advisors, three national firms emerged as the most frequently mentioned:

• Mercer Advisors appeared in 26.6% of all answers.
• Creative Planning appeared in 18.1%.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors appeared in 15.4%.

While these three firms appeared repeatedly, 84 firms on CNBC's Financial Advisor 100 list were never mentioned. Separately, only 10 firms from Barron's 2026 Top 100 RIAs appeared in more than 1% of AI answers.

For firms accustomed to competing on reputation, assets under management, and industry recognition, the findings expose a new competitive challenge. The criteria that earn an advisory firm a top industry ranking don't necessarily determine which firms AI mentions to prospective clients.

Smaller Specialists Are Beating the National Names

Perhaps the study's most surprising finding was the success of firms that concentrate on specific types of clients.

While national firms led overall, specialized advisors frequently dominated answers when the questions became more specific.

• Dentist Advisors appeared in 57% of answers about financial advisors for dentists.
• Hockey Wealth Group appeared in 85% of answers involving NHL players.
• Artisan Financial Planning appeared in 88% of answers about advisors for musicians.

The findings suggest that a smaller firm with a well-established specialty can compete effectively against far larger organizations when AI recognizes its expertise as a strong match for the question being asked.

"AI doesn't necessarily recommend the biggest or most prestigious firm. It recommends the firm it identifies as the best answer to a particular question," Anthony said. "That's a major opportunity for specialized advisors. A firm that understands the financial needs of physicians or professional athletes may be far more visible to those clients than a nationally recognized firm managing billions of dollars."

What Influences AI Recommendations?

The study also examined the sources AI platforms used when generating their answers, offering a closer look at why some advisors appear and others are overlooked.

Firm websites were the most frequently cited source, appearing in 90% of answers. Directories and listing sites were cited in 25%, while business and financial media appeared in 24%.

Earned media coverage was associated with particularly strong visibility when an article focused directly on the firm or advisor.

For example, AI answers citing a Wall Street Journal Buy Side review of Carson Wealth mentioned the firm 41% of the time, compared with 8% of answers that did not cite the review.

Similarly, every answer about financial advisors for media executives that cited a Los Angeles Times profile of Richard Singer mentioned Singer Burke. In comparable answers that did not cite the article, the firm appeared approximately half the time.

"The firms that show up consistently aren't necessarily doing anything mysterious," said Anthony. "They make their expertise easy to find and understand. Their websites answer the questions their prospective clients are asking. They're represented in relevant directories, and they earn media coverage that establishes what they're known for."

A New Competitive Challenge for Wealth Managers

For registered investment advisors, the findings point to a growing disconnect between traditional measures of industry success and the firms AI identifies as suitable choices for prospective investors.

As affluent consumers use AI to research financial advisors, a firm's ability to appear in those answers may influence whether it gets considered at all.

The results also suggest that firms don't have to be the largest to compete. They need to demonstrate expertise in the areas their prospective clients care about and ensure that information is available through sources AI platforms use.

The full report, AI Search Power Players: The RIAs AI Recommends for Niche Audiences, includes the 10 most frequently mentioned firms for each of the eight audiences, along with an analysis of the sources influencing AI answers.

About Gregory

Named the Agency of the Year by PR Daily in 2025, Gregory is a global public relations firm with offices in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and London. Learn more at gregoryagency.com.